Articulated conveyer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY R 0 .1 w T J I, i Q Walmm, m L. W. mv Q 3 Q m# 9 6 0w 4 l j at 9 1954 R c. LUNDQCJIST ARTICULATED CONVEYER Filed May 4, 1953 EM BY Qct. 5, 1954 R. c. LUNDQUIST ARTICULATED CONVEYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1953 INVENTOR.

I i I WATTORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1954 PATENT OFFICE ARTICULATED CONVEYER Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,887

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in articulated conveyors of the center chain and flight type, especially adapted for use in mobile loading machines, and has for its principal object to provide an improved and simplified form of conveyor takeup for the chain idler at the extreme end of the articulated conveyor of the type mentioned.

Articulated conveyors of the type used in loading machines are usually made up of two or more trough sections connected by a suitable swivel joint, with a pair of flexible side wall elements extending between them, providing end bearing abutments for guiding the chain flights as they pass along the trough sections and around the jointed connections when one section is swung laterally relative to another. As is well known with devices of this general character, there is a tendency for the conveyor chain to become slackened when two of the sections are swung laterally out of longitudinal alignment with each other, the amount of slack being generally proportional to the degree of angularity between the two connected trough sections.

In carrying out my invention, I provide an improved and simplified form of automatic conveyor chain takeup for the purpose above described.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of an articulated conveyor of the type used on a loading machine, and embodying an illustrative form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal veyor shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure l, but showing one section of the conveyor swung at an angle to another section.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, Figure l is a plan View illustrating the invention as applied to the rear end of an articulated conveyor of the type adapted for use in mobile loading machines. In this figure, a forward section of the conveyor, indicated generally at it, is of the kind suitably mounted on the main frame ii of a loading machine, with a rear or delivery end section of the conveyor, indicated generally at 12, connected thereto. The front conveyor section comprises an upper trough plate i3 and a lower trough plat M spaced therefrom, which may also be a part of the main frame. The upper plate 13 has a centrally disposed pivot bearing l5 affording pivotal connection with an ection of the conupper trough plate [6 of the rear conveyor sec-- tion. A lower pivot bearing I! is mounted in a lower plate I4 of the front section in vertical. coaxial alignment with the first-named bearing member 15 affording pivotal connection with a.

plate 16 of the-rear conveyor section and adjustable longitudinally with relation to the latter, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The front trough section has fixed upstanding side walls 25, therealong, terminating sub:

stantially forwardly of the vertical axis formed by the bearings IS, IT. The rear section l2 also has fixed upstanding side walls 26, 23, terminating substantially rearwardly of the axis of swinging movement of the two sections about their pivot bearings IE, IT. The gaps between the two pairs of side walls is closed, as by a pair of flexible side plates 28 which, in the form shown herein, are fixed to the rear ends of the side wails 25 on the front section and have sliding engagement in suitable brackets 29, 28 fixed near the front ends of the side walls 28 of the rear section.

As is usual with articulated conveyors of this type, the upper trough plate 13 of one section, as for instance the front section It, is flared outwardly near its rear end and terminates in a widened arcuate convex portion to which has interfitting engagement with a concave widened front end portion 3| of the rear conveyor plate IS. The widened convex and concave plate portions 30 and 3i are arranged at substantially the same level so as to permit the conveyor chain and the material carried thereby to pass thereacross with minimum impedance.

Referring now more particularly to the novel features which comprise the present invention, the transverse shaft 23 of the rear idler sprocket 22 has bearing at opposite ends in an adjusting frame 45 which is slidably mounted for longitudinal movement between the upper trough plate It of said rear conveyor section and a transverse guide plate ll fixed to the side walls 26, 25 of the rear conveyor section 12.

A longitudinal bar 42 is fixed at its rear end to the adjusting frame and extends forwardly centrally of and beneath the conveyor plate it to a point adjacent the rear of the upper pivot bearing 15. A link 43 is pivotally connected to the front end of the bar 42 and extends forwardly beneath the upper pivot bearing IE to a point forwardly thereof where said link is pivotally connected to a depending boss 44 carried below the upper plate I3 of the front section Ill. The link 43 is preferably offset downwardly where it, passes below said pivot; hearing, as-

shown in Figure 2, to provide clearance beneath the upper pivot bearing l5,

A transverse guide bar 45 has its opposite ends suitably fixed to side walls 26 of the rear conveyor section l2 with suflicient space between said guide plate and the bottom, of the upper.

plate It to afford sliding endwisemovement of."

the bar 42 while guiding said bar in a central position relative to the rear conveyorsection: II in all positions of lateral swinging movement.

In the form shown herein, the bottom: plate E9- of the rear section l2 may. also have wear plates '46, 46' spaced along its upper surface to: elevate the lower reach of theconveyor chain and afford increased head room: beneath. the intermediate portion of the rear. conveyor-section l2; this arrangement, the under faceof the guide bar 45 is inclined downwardlytoward the front conveyorsection at 41 to guide thelower reach of the conveyor chain beneath the path of swinging movement of the link 43.

As will be seen from Figures 1' and 3; the length of the link 43, which is pivotally connected to the front end of the takeup bar 42-, is'such that, when pivoted in the longitudinal center line of the front section I0, said link will cause the takeup bar 42 to be extended automatically a sufficient 35 distance to compensate for otherwise normal slackening of the conveyor chain as the rear end section is swung laterally toward one side or the other of the longitudinal center line of the front section III.

I claim:

In an articulated conveyor, two trough sections horizontally swingable with respect to each other about an upright axis and each having side walls including flexible side wall portions at opposite sides of the axis of swinging movement of said trough sections, an endless conveyor extending along said trough sections and trained over a rotatable. shaft at the end of one of said trough sections, said shaft being mounted on a frame guided for slidable longitudinal movement relative to its adjacent trough section, a bar connected to said frame and extending to a point adjacent, but short of, the point of pivotal connection of its respective trough section and the other trough section, guide means affording lon itudinal sliding movement of said bar relative to its trough section, and av linkpivotally connected centrally of the front end of said bar References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,613,800 Merck Oct. 14:, 1952' 2,646,871 Lundquist July 28, 1953 

